:Italian destroyer Audace (D 551)
{{short description|Audace-class guided missile destroyer}}
{{other ships|Italian destroyer Audace}}
| {{Infobox ship begin
}} {{Infobox ship image | Ship image = File:CT Audace La Spezia 2008.jpg | Ship caption = Audace in La Spezia on 9 November 2008. }}{{Infobox ship career | Hide header = | Ship country = Italy | Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|Italy|naval}} | Ship name = Audace | Ship namesake = Audace | Ship owner = | Ship operator = Italian Navy | Ship registry = | Ship route = | Ship ordered = | Ship awarded = | Ship builder = Cantiere navale di Riva Trigoso shipyards | Ship original cost = | Ship yard number = | Ship way number = | Ship laid down = 17 April 1968 | Ship launched = 2 October 1971 | Ship sponsor = | Ship christened = | Ship completed = | Ship acquired = | Ship commissioned = 16 November 1972 | Ship recommissioned = | Ship decommissioned = 28 September 2006 | Ship maiden voyage = | Ship in service = | Ship out of service = | Ship renamed = | Ship reclassified = | Ship refit = | Ship struck = | Ship reinstated = | Ship homeport = | Ship identification = *Pennant number: D 551 | Ship motto = | Ship nickname = | Ship honours = | Ship honors = | Ship captured = | Ship fate = Scrapped in Aliaga Turkey 2018 | Ship notes = | Ship badge = | Ship class = }}{{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = | Ship type = | Ship displacement = 4,554 tons full load | Ship length = {{convert|140.7|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = {{convert|14.7|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship height = | Ship draught = {{convert|4.5|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship power = | Ship propulsion = *2-shaft geared steam turbines
| Ship speed = {{convert|33|kn|lk=in}} | Ship range = {{convert|4,000|nmi|abbr=on|lk=in}} at {{convert|25|kn|abbr=on}} | Ship endurance = | Ship complement = 380 | Ship sensors = | Ship EW = | Ship armament = * As built:
| Ship armour = | Ship aircraft = 2 AB-212ASW helicopters | Ship aircraft facilities = | Ship notes = | Ship class = Audace-class destroyer }} |
Audace (D 551) is the lead ship of the Audace-class destroyer of the Italian Navy.
Development
The design of these ships was related to the previous Impavido-class, but they were meant as a decisive improvement over these older vessels. They hull was more capable to resist high sea conditions, incorporating an aft superstructure used to accommodating two AB-212 anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters. This gave the vessels an ASW capability, with improved sonars and torpedo tubes.{{Cite web|title=Audace class Guided-Missile Destroyer|url=https://www.helis.com/database/sys/199-Audace-class|access-date=2020-09-27|website=Helis.com|language=en}}
The superstructures were built with aluminium alloys in two blocks with one mack (this is the combination with the funnels supporting metallic, short trees used for radar equipment) each. The distance between the two superstructure blocks was high, as both the propulsion systems were located at midships and over this, the 76 mm gun battery. The aft superstructure was dedicated to the Tartar/SM-1 missiles and hangar.{{Cite web|title=Audace Class - Guided-missile destroyer|url=http://www.military-today.com/navy/audace_class.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070517150721if_/http://www.military-today.com/navy/audace_class.htm|url-status=usurped|archive-date=May 17, 2007|access-date=2020-09-27}}
Due to its anti-aircraft, anti-submarine and anti-ship characteristics, the Ardito was the most modern that had been conceived and built up to then in the field of military naval construction. type, entered service in December 1973.
Construction and career
She is laid down on 17 April 1968 and launched on 2 October 1971 by Cantiere navale di Riva Trigoso. Commissioned on 16 November 1972 with the hull number D 551 and decommissioned on 28 September 2006.
Audace was the pride of the Navy in the 1970s, it served for 35 years until 2006, it was sent to Aliaga to be demolished on 7 May 2018.{{Cite web|date=2018-05-07|title=Da Castellammare alla Turchia: così finisce l'Ardito, gloria della Marina italiana|url=https://napoli.repubblica.it/cronaca/2018/05/07/news/da_castellammare_alla_turchia_cosi_finisce_l_ardito_gloria_della_marina_italiana-195772281/|access-date=2020-09-27|website=la Repubblica|language=it}}
Gallery
File:Audace 01 V.jpg|Audace being launched on 2 October 1971.
File:Cacciatorpediniere Ardito e Audace in disarmo.jpg|Decommissioned Ardito and Audace in La Spezia on 5 December 2009.
File:D551 Audace.jpg|Decommissioned Audace transiting the Messina Strait by tug to Aliaga to be demolished and scrapped on 8 May 2018
File:Audace's Flag.jpg|Audace's flag on display on 21 November 2008.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.marina.difesa.it/noi-siamo-la-marina/mezzi/mezzi-storici/Pagine/ABCD/audace68.aspx Audace (D 551)] Marina Militare website
{{Portal bar|Italy|Engineering}}
{{Audace class destroyer}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Audace (D 551)}}